Cedar Hill Preparatory School Students Win Second Place at Regional Future City Competition

SOMERSET, NJ – Cedar Hill Preparatory School's middle school team has earned second place at the Regional Future City Competition, competing against 56 teams and showcasing exceptional skills in engineering, problem-solving, and public presentation – the very competencies employers say today's graduates lack.

The Cedar Hill Prep team advanced to the finals after judges shortlisted just three teams from the field of 56. The students then presented their futuristic city model and fielded technical questions from a panel of three judges before an audience of 300 community members, demonstrating the communication, teamwork, and real-world problem-solving abilities that bridge the gap between classroom learning and career success.

"This achievement exemplifies what hands-on STEM education can accomplish," said Nandini Menon, Ed.D. (Mind, Brain and Teaching), Chief Education Officer and Founder of Cedar Hill Preparatory School. "While recent reports show that one in six hiring managers hesitate to hire college graduates due to gaps in workplace skills like teamwork and communication, our middle school students are already building these competencies through authentic engineering challenges like Future City."

The Future City Competition, organized by DiscoverE, a nonprofit providing every student with an engineering experience and the resources, programs, and connections to improve the understanding of engineering, challenges students to design cities of the future using engineering principles, collaborative problem-solving, and innovative thinking. Teams research, design, and build scale models while developing comprehensive project plans that address real-world urban planning challenges.

Bridging the Education-to-Employment Gap

Cedar Hill Prep's approach to STEM education directly addresses what Fortune 500 executives identify as a critical workforce preparation gap. A recent Fortune article highlighted that while 90% of educators believe graduates are workforce-ready, employers disagree – citing insufficient experience with teamwork, communication under pressure, and practical application of technical knowledge.

"Future City isn't just about engineering – it's about preparing students for careers that don't exist yet," added Menon. "Our students learned to work as a team, present complex technical information clearly, think critically under pressure, and defend their ideas professionally. These are the exact skills employers say they need but can't find."

The competition experience mirrors real-world professional scenarios: collaborative design, technical problem-solving, public presentation, and responding to expert critique – all before students reach high school.

Student and Parent Perspectives

"My son, Aaryan, a sixth grader, participated in the Future City Competition alongside students from higher grades – an experience that brought engineering concepts to life in ways the classroom alone never could," shared Raj Shah, parent. "Watching him work through real design challenges didn't just clarify technical principles; it sparked a genuine passion for engineering and built the kind of confidence that will serve him well beyond this competition. This is the hands-on learning that creates lasting impact."

Student participant Anandita Gurjar, Grade 6, reflected on her experience: "Future City showed me just how many types of engineering exist and how they all work together to build something as complex as a city. You learn which engineers focus on infrastructure, which handle environmental systems, and how they collaborate to solve real problems. If you're considering any field in engineering, this competition helps you discover which area truly interests you – not through reading about it, but by actually doing the work."

International Baccalaureate Approach to Career Readiness

As an International Baccalaureate candidate school serving Preschool through Grade 8, Cedar Hill Preparatory School integrates hands-on learning, critical thinking, and real-world application across all grade levels. The school's STEM program emphasizes inquiry-based learning where students tackle authentic challenges rather than memorizing isolated facts.

"This is why we prioritize experiential learning," explained Menon. "When students design actual city infrastructure, calculate real engineering specifications, and present to professional judges, they're not just learning science – they're developing the judgment, communication, and collaboration skills that no textbook can teach."

The team was guided by educators and middle school teachers Sangeeta Lekhi and Yasmeen Villafranca, with strong support from Cedar Hill Prep families throughout the competition preparation process.

About Cedar Hill Preparatory School

Cedar Hill Preparatory School is a PreK-8 International Baccalaureate candidate private school located in Somerset, New Jersey. The school provides a globally-minded, inquiry-based education that develops critical thinkers, confident communicators, and compassionate leaders prepared for success in high school, college, and careers. Through hands-on STEM programs, multilingual learning, and authentic real-world projects, Cedar Hill Prep students develop both academic excellence and essential workplace competencies.

Discover How Cedar Hill Prep Prepares Students for Tomorrow's Careers

Parents interested in learning more about Cedar Hill Prep's innovative STEM programming and International Baccalaureate approach are invited to attend an Open House on Saturday, January 24, 2026. Experience firsthand how hands-on learning builds the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that lead to both academic achievement and career success.

Cedar Hill Preparatory School Open House Saturday, January 24, 2026 152 Cedar Grove Lane, Somerset, NJ 08873 To RSVP or schedule a tour: 732-356-5400 ext. 67 www.cedarhillprep.com